DVD's w/out traditional stereotypes for a 4 yr old?

[foodmachine]

Ok, I got lots of feedback of books and now I'd love some thoughts of the more difficult category of film.

The only things I'm ok with are some old sesame street and My Neighbor Totoru. 
Everything else I regret turning on and then "lose". I think Kiki's Delivery is REALLY  inappropriate: "I look dumb", "I'll be fat, fat, fat", "Were you naked?" ...totally weird.

In the Muppet Movie, Fonzy talks about the "Good looking girls".

Are there any films where girls respect themselves and others? Any films where boys and girls respect each other?

Thanks!

[jess in hawaii]

Are you looking for movies specifically with positive female characters, or just no negative ones? I ask for clarification only because I can think of some that just don't have big female parts in them, but aren't negative/sexist either.

[peachespoe]

Here are some shows (not movies) that my 3 year old likes but don't have really obvious stereotypes you might want to try:

Blues Clues

The Wonder Pets

Backyardigans

Shaun the Sheep

Dinasaur Train

My daughter actually loves Thomas the Tank engine videos...at least the ones that don't feature the Diesel characters (they are bullies and can be mean and scarey). The older ones are pretty slow paced but she has loved them since she was two. There are a few strong female characters and some of the male trains she actually thinks are females.

We don't have traditional TV and I only allow her to watch show/DVDs without commercials. We usually do instant streaming through Netflix for the above shows I mentioned.

That being said, we did watch the new TinkerBell through Amazon Instant Videos recently. I didn't have high expectations since it was a Disney movie about fairies, but other than the female fairies being Disney's traditional vision of pretty, the characters were actually strong, intelligent, creative, and (mostly) kind. It was actually a really nice movie with beautiful graphics and music.

[foodmachine]

Originally Posted by jess in hawaii 

Are you looking for movies specifically with positive female characters, or just no negative ones? I ask for clarification only because I can think of some that just don't have big female parts in them, but aren't negative/sexist either.

Hmmmm, good question...

Not negative/sexist would be a good start!

And actual postive female characters, well that would be icing on the cake..

[rainbringer]

Here's a few that come to mind -

Wizard of Oz

Alice in Wonderland

The Secret Garden

Monsters Inc

The Rescuers

[jess in hawaii]

My little guy loves animal stories like Babe and Milo & Otis (I know some people have a problem with this one, but he likes it).

After a quick glance at the video pile, I'll  toss in Ratatouille, Ferngully and Labyrinth (though if she is very sensitive they might be a little intense still). We also like the Sesame Street Kids Favorite Songs videos, of which there are several.

[monkeybars]

We're big fans of the 1960's Pippi Longstocking movies:)

[NiteNicole]

My daughter did not really watch movies at that age but she did enjoy Little Bear, Charlie and Lola, and Blue's Clues.  We got the DVD set and books from Charlie and Lola and she still enjoys them (so do I).

[tbone_kneegrabber]

ds does not like movies (he has made it through my neighbor tortoro, but even that one he got upset part way through).  He's just never found a "movie" he can watch.(he started Pippi Longstocking with a friend and yelled after 3 mintues "THIS IS FREAKING ME OUT!")

 However, we do watch some stuff.  He likes Little Bear, Pingu, still likes Signing Time, and is currently IN LOVE with They Might Be Giants (here comes the ABC's, here comes the 123's and here comes science) you can youtube most of the They Might Be Giants videos and they are also available as CD/DVDs.  He also really likes the Scholastic Book DVDs (they are just the book and the illustrations sometimes with minor animation and someone reading the story, the words go across the bottom of the screen).  We have also gotten some Reading Rainbows out of the library that he has enjoyed. Ds likes seeing the books he knows as books made into "shows" and it will often inspire him to want to look at that same book (over and over and over!)  Ds does not like "live action" films.  Although we did 2/3's of the way through Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (after reading the book and listening to the audio book) but he couldn't make it all the way through (although frankly the kids are all brats in that movie, except Charlie, but that is *the point*).  Blue Planet and Planet Earth are usually hits (although sometimes very cute animals get eaten!) Microcosmos (which is wordless and about bugs).

[jess in hawaii]

For videos available online, we also really love Minuscule. It's  a French animated series about bugs. There is no dialogue; it's a little like an animated version of Microcosmos with lots of slapstick humor but also very sweet and even insightful moments.

[foodmachine]

Originally Posted by rainbringer 

Here's a few that come to mind -

Wizard of Oz

Alice in Wonderland

The Secret Garden

Monsters Inc

The Rescuers

DD thought Cars was scary so I know Wizard of Oz is a few years away. Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp? That would need to wait awhile too. I don't know about the other three. Any thoughts on those?

What is the problem folks have with Milo & Otis? I know nothing about them?

I heard Babe is really good, except for Mom dying in the beginning...

It would be time for som Pippi, she is Swedish and so are my kids. I was just worried that while Pippi is awesome, some of the characters are really mean...

I'll check out of some of show recommendations. We are actually leaving both the kids with Grandma so I can go to a gig that DH is playing. Hurray!!! I want to leave Grandma with some watchables this weekend.  

Thanks!

[ashleyhaugh]

my 4 yr old really like the chronicles of narnia movies, his favorite being the voyage of the dawn trader. there are some scary-ish bits, but he does ok, and the female parts are pretty strong too, except for the white witch in the first one of course

[foodmachine]

Loving Minuscule! And on YouTube. Easy! And free!

[jess in hawaii]

Originally Posted by foodmachine 

Loving Minuscule! And on YouTube. Easy! And free!

Yay!   Glad you appreciate it as much as we do!

[jaam]

Wow, great ideas here, I was just thinking about this today.

We've always really liked Peep and The Big Wide World.